Fight The Itch! 8 Ways To Save Your Skin

November 13, 2013 00:00

Save your skin! Fight the itch! Dry, itchy skin is a common discomfort among pregnant women.

There are several things that affect moisture retention and cause the itchiness that most pregnant women experience.

stretching of skin caused by weight gain and swelling

hormonal changes due to, well, just being pregnant

dehydration due to your body demanding more water to account for the increased blood volume

Most women experience dry, itchy skin around their bellies, but it can also feel that way in other areas where your skin tends to stretch during pregnancy – like around the hips, thighs and breasts. And now comes winter. Dry skin can be especially bothersome during the winter months. Indoor air dries up from heaters. And the cold outdoor winds challenge your skin. So what’s a girl to do?

Here are our top tips for soothing your dry itchy skin naturally:

1. Moisturize after the shower. The best time to apply moisturizer to your skin is right after a bath or shower to trap water into your skin.

2. Moisturize twice a day! We recommend using moisturizer twice daily – in the morning and in the evening.

3. Use an effective & safe moisturizing cream. When you’re treating your dry skin, you want to make sure that you’re using high performance products that are also healthy, natural and safe. Check product labels for organic and natural butters and plant oils such as cupuaçu butter, shea butter and broccoli seed oil that have powerful moisture retention and healing properties that will keep your skin soft and nourished.

* Nine Naturals’ Replenishing Belly Butter brings together these three amazing ingredients as well as others to create a deeply moisturizing cream perfect for dry skin before, during and after pregnancy.

4. Use a humidifier. Is the air in your home feeling dry? A sure sign that the air is getting drier is the static cling you experience in your clothes and your hair! Try replenishing your indoor air with moisture using a humidifier. It can be especially helpful at nighttime in the bedroom. Also consider having a small humidifier in every room, including your office, to help maintain balanced skin moisture.

5. Avoid harsh soaps. Many soaps, especially soaps containing artificial, chemical based ingredients like sulfates, can strip your skin and hair of its natural oils. Choose gentle body wash and soap during pregnancy using naturally derived, gentle surfactants and a balance of oils and other plant extracts to cleanse and nourish the skin. Nine Naturals Soothing Body Wash uses gentle coconut-derived soaps and omega-rich avocado and olive oils to replenish and heal the skin.

6. Drink Water! Care and healing for the skin should focus on the things that go in your body as well as on your body. in addition to supporting your skin’s health, drinking water will maintain hydration and help promote your energy levels and positive mood.

7. Care for your growing belly. It’s a beautiful thing to watch your belly grow, but your skin’s doing some hard work! Take time to soothe your belly and other areas where you feel your skin is stretching. Use a belly butter that can moisturize and nourish the skin. Nine Naturals’ plant-based Regenerative Belly Butter works deep within the connective tissue of your skin to moisturize and to minimize the risk of stretch marks.

8. Don’t forget about your hair. Dry air and hair make for a lot of static and a bad hairdo. Conditioner is your weapon during the winter and you should use it a couple ways. In the shower, conditioner will help moisturize your hair – scalp to tip. After the shower, dab a small bit of conditioner to your tips to help them resist dryness through the day and maintain your hairstyle through the day without the static. Nine Naturals’ Mandarin + Ginger Restorative Conditioner was designed especially with dry hair in mind with nourishing ingredients like Moroccan argan oil, shea butter and macadamia seed oil.